இந்தப் பாடம் என்ன சொல்கிறது?- இந்தப் பாடம் என்ன சொல்கிறது?

    This lesson teaches you all about the epic - its origin, growth, and the place it occupies in world literature. You can also learn that the epic has been the basis or source for other literary forms. This lesson gives you an account of the different kinds of epics and how they provide us with information about society, history and religion.

    The epic occupies a special place in classical literature. In the rich literature of ancient Greece for example, (Homer’s ILIAD and ODYSSEY) the most commonly used genre was the epic. In Tamil, however, we have disconnected verses dealing with heroism; for example, the PURANAANOORU, PADHITTRUP PATTHU, and PATTHUPPATTU. The same can be said of the Chinese language too.

    The first epic to have been written in Tamil, is Ilango Adigal’s SILAPPATHIKAARAM. All subsequent epics follow the pattern of this epic.

    What is an epic? In Sanskrit, ‘Kaavya’ means ‘song’. That which is sung by a poet, is a ‘Kaaviyam’. ‘Kaavya’ gradually changed into ‘Kappiyam’. In Tamil we have words like, THOLKAAPPIYAM, and KAAPPIYAATRUK-KAAPPIYANAAR.

    The English word ‘epic’ derives from the Greek ‘EPO’ meaning ‘to tell’. ‘EPOS’ meant ‘anything to tell’. Hence, that which was traditionally ‘told’ was considered an epic.

    Greek, Latin and Babylonian epics are classified into five categories, while epics in Sanskrit are classified into eight categories. In Tamil, we have five major epics and five minor ones. Even during the 20th century, epics have been produced. Tamil epics can be classified as: Ithihaasam, Puranam, Perungkaapiyam, Sirukkaapiyam, Epics that have been lost. Translated epics, Islamic epics, christian epics and Modern epics.

    The major Tamil epics are SILAPPATHIKAARAM, MANIMEKALAI, SEEVAGA CHINTAMANI, VALAYAAPATHI, KUNDALAKESI and PERUNGKATHAI. The minor epics are UDHAYANAKUMARA KAAVIYAM, YASODHARA KAAVIYAM, NAGAKUMARA KAAVIYAM, CHOOLAAMANI and NEELAKESI.

    The main differences between the major and minor epics are: the former is longer and speaks of Aram, Porul, Inbam and Veedu, while the latter is shorter and may lack one or two of the four themes that are mentioned here. The major epic is based on lofty ideals and is elaborate; the minor epic is not so.

    Thus, this lesson tells you all about the various kinds of epics in Tamil, and the differences between them.